How to Prepare for the CASPer Exam

Introduction

• Presenter: Dr. Rajani Kata, author and clinical professor of dermatology with over 20 years of experience.
• Focus: Strategies for preparing for the CASPer exam.

Overview of the CASPer Exam

• Purpose: Situational judgment test required for various professional programs (medical, dental, veterinary, PA, etc.).
• Format: Presented with a scenario (video or text-based), followed by three questions to answer in five minutes.
• Challenges: Condensing thoughts into coherent responses quickly (less than 90 seconds per question).

Nine Main Strategies for Preparation

Internalize Strategies

• Reason: Helps avoid freezing up on unusual or challenging scenarios.
• Focus Areas: Organizing thoughts and improving efficiency and speed.

Strategy 1: Use Frameworks to Organize Thoughts

• Frameworks: Help structure answers based on question types (situational judgment, behavioral, etc.).
• **Examples: **
  • I3P Approach: Impact, Issue, Information, Potential approaches.
  • STAR Approach: Situation, Task, Action, Result (for behavioral questions).
• Purpose: Provides a structured method to respond to various questions.

Strategy 2: Note and Scan

• Take Notes: While watching scenarios, note main participants and issues.
• Scan Questions: Read all three questions before answering to better formulate responses.

Strategy 3: Create a Story Bank

• Prepared Examples: Have pre-prepared examples of experiences addressing common prompt themes (conflict, sacrifice, etc.).
• Reflection: Evaluate examples for what was done well and areas of improvement.
• Index Cards: Use physical or digital index cards to organize story bank.

Strategy 4: Learn the Basics of Medical Ethics

• Importance: CASPer evaluates ethical understanding even if not explicitly focused on medical ethics.
• Preparation: Understand principles like autonomy, confidentiality, etc.
• Resources: Podcasts and blog posts for more in-depth learning.

Strategy 5: Use Specific Words

• Explicit Values: Use specific words to express values like collaboration and empathy in responses.
• Examples: Respectfully, gently, non-confrontational.
• Practice: Essential to avoid over-reliance on reading examples online.

Strategy 6: Practice Under Timed Conditions

• Realistic Practice: Simulate exam conditions with 5-minute response drills.
• Typing Speed: Ensure you can type quickly and clearly under time pressure.
• Incomplete Responses: Unfinished answers are acceptable; focus on content quality.

Strategy 7: Learn to Type Fast

• Typing Test: Determine current typing speed online.
• Advantage: Faster typing allows fuller, more comprehensive responses.
• Improvement: Practice typing to increase speed and efficiency.

Strategy 8: Let Go of Perfectionism

• Efficiency: Ignore small errors like spelling or grammar to focus on content.
• Guidelines: CASPer doesn't penalize for incomplete sentences or minor mistakes.

Strategy 9: Automate Your Writing

• Phrase Automation: Develop common phrases to start responses quickly.
• Repetition: Same standard phrases can be used since each scenario is graded by a different person.
• Examples: “This is a challenging scenario because…”

Strategy 10: Be Ready for Changes

• Format Changes: Stay updated with any new developments in the CASPer exam.
• Video Responses: Recent change includes video responses; prepare for on-the-spot verbal answers.
• Stay Informed: Follow official CASPer guidance for latest updates.

Conclusion

• Final Advice: Continual practice and keeping updated with CASPer changes is crucial for success.
• Additional Resources: More videos and resources to be provided for further guidance.